


Secret to Prove

by EclecticJace



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Canon Compliant, M/M, Missing Scene, Teenage Drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:35:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24259756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EclecticJace/pseuds/EclecticJace
Summary: Jet and Zuko are both extremely lonely, and trust is not easily earned from either of them. Too bad it's easily broken.Moments in a turbulent relationship that made two days feel like forever.OR two boys on a ship to Ba Sing Se fight a little and kiss some more.
Relationships: Jet/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 194





	Secret to Prove

**Author's Note:**

> thanks to InconsistentBell for helping edit this <333

"We make a pretty good team, huh?"

Zuko glowered into his bowl of food as Jet grinned at him, all arrogance and pride.

"I guess so," he said after a moment, taking a spoonful of rice as a reason not to elaborate.

"Come on, Lee, give yourself some credit."

"Don't need it."

Jet frowned at that. He had been lounging casually as he sat against the railing of the ship, but now he straightened up to bring himself directly next to Zuko.

"Lee… you did a good thing with us. With me. Look at these people. Look at your uncle."

Iroh was not far away, but by the looks of it, he was deep in conversation with Smellerbee and Longshot. His warm, booming laughter carried across the deck of the ship, a beacon of joy in an otherwise dismal situation. He hadn't laughed like that in a while.

The other passengers were paying Jet and Zuko no attention. They were effectively alone.

"I don't think they'd want my help if they knew me."

Surprisingly, Jet laughed. Not just chuckled, but laughed, with a wide genuine smile. Zuko scowled at him.

" _What_?"

"I'm sorry, it's just-" Jet smiled and shook his head. "They wouldn't want my help if they knew me either."

Zuko stared at Jet. He was a Fire Nation prince. Who could _Jet_ be in comparison that people would refuse his help?

"I nearly murdered a whole village of Earth Kingdom citizens," Jet continued, lowering his voice so only Zuko could hear. "I blew up a dam. They only survived because they were warned."

Zuko finally turned to look at Jet. He was still smiling, but now there was definitely pain behind the expression.

"Why?" 

"I wanted to take out the soldiers stationed there. Fire Nation." There was a long pause. Jet looked straight ahead, avoiding Zuko's gaze.

"You understand."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. One Zuko had heard before. The assumption about him that came from his scar. But this time, there was more to Jet's words. Zuko _did_ understand. Not what Jet had done then, but what he did now. He understood how wounds gave way to quests. Quests to find honor, or justice. Quests to right wrongs. That was something they had in common, even if they were on different sides.

"Yeah… I do understand."

* * *

Later that night, Zuko found himself unable to sleep. Carefully, he made his way around the prone bodies scattered across the deck of the ship, and scrambled his way up a post to the roof.

The sky above him was cloudless, and the stars above him winked softly. The moon was bright and full, and Zuko found himself thinking back to the Northern Water Tribe. How he had nearly died in his quest to capture the Avatar. How cold it had been out in that snowstorm, even with the heat he breathed.

"Hey."

Zuko jumped at the voice, and whirled to see Jet standing at the edge of the roof.

"I- hey." It took all of Zuko's willpower to keep the trembling out of his words.

"I wanted to thank you again, for helping me." Jet's voice was different than earlier, more genuine. Zuko tensed. He did not want this trust. This genuinity. He was a prince of the Fire Nation. He should not have the trust of an Earth Kingdom boy.

Jet sat beside Zuko as easily as a friend would, and leaned back, supporting himself on his palms, elbows locked.

"We'll be in Ba Sing Se tomorrow," Jet said after a few moments.

"Yeah. I guess we'll be moving on then." Zuko kept his eyes forward, refusing to look at Jet. More silence.

"You don't have to."

Zuko turned, and suddenly Jet was two inches from his face.

"You could join us. Join me."

Moonlight reflected in Jet's eyes, and Zuko felt himself leaning forward, even though every instinct was screaming "run away". Jet closed the gap between them, lips meeting, warm and soft. Zuko's arms came up to wrap around Jet's neck, and Jet tilted his head to better kiss him.

His hands traced along the edges of Zuko's scar, starting at his exposed collarbone and moving upwards to cup his cheeks.

Zuko had never kissed anyone before, and it showed, but Jet didn't seem to mind. He was gentle, but fiery and Zuko felt his head spin with it.

When they broke apart, Jet smiled.

"You're new to this."

Zuko scowled, and turned away, bringing his arms back down to his sides.

"Hey, that's not a bad thing!" Jet quickly backpedaled, sensing that he had caused offense. "It just means- well, I could teach you-"

"I can't."

"Can't what?" Jet sounded like he was about to break in two, and Zuko felt his heart clench.

"I can't go with you."

Zuko's voice was soft, raspy. Resigned. Like he had done this before, and in a way, maybe he had. But never with stakes like this.

For once, Jet was silent, as Zuko slipped down off the roof.

* * *

Jet's blade was thin, sharp, and deadly held against Zuko's throat. The hook at one end dangerously dug into the side of his neck. The side unmarked by scars. Even now, Jet was careful.

"What do you want?"

"You." Jet's voice was low, threatening. Zuko scrambled for the scabbard at his hip, trying not to draw attention to his movements. Jet had him pinned.

"You're a firebender. I saw the old man heat the tea. That's why you wouldn't join me."

Zuko scowled. He had known this was coming. "I didn't join you because I didn't feel like it. _We're. Refugees._ " He spat out the last two words through gritted teeth, tilting his head back to crane away from the blade at his throat as Jet pushed closer.

" _Liar_ ," Jet hissed, and then his mouth was on Zuko's.

Zuko felt the pressure of the sword leave his throat, but he paid no mind except to take the opportunity to fist his hands in Jet's shirt and pull him closer. The weapons clattered to the ground as Jet brought his hands up to Zuko's face.

This kiss was hot, angry, teeth grazing lips and tongues, pushing hard enough to bruise. It felt like a drug to Zuko, fogging his head until he couldn't even try to think.

When Jet pulled away to breathe, Zuko's head spun. The air between them was charged with heat, and Zuko prayed it wasn't from his own body sending off sparks.

"You… I'll prove it." Jet's hands were tight on the fabric of Zuko's shirt. "Firebender."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

Every instinct was screaming at Zuko to run. Vanish into the night. Instead, he pulled Jet in.

The kiss was just as heated as the first, but now there was a new energy. Jet's rage was still present but now there was a greed behind his movements. A want, a need.

Warm, strong hands wandered across Zuko's shoulders, in his hair, on his face. They found their way to the back of Zuko's neck, pulling backwards to bring the two of them away from the wall.

Zuko chased the kiss, but found he had to leave room to breathe. His stomach dropped as his brain caught up to what was happening. His and Jet's hands were still on each other's torsos, grasping at cloth as a way to anchor themselves to the ground. To each other. One of Jet's hands was on Zuko's face, on his scars, and that's what broke him.

Zuko jumped back, back to the wall, away from Jet.

"You- we- I can't." He swallowed, hard. "I _can't_."

Jet's eyes went cold. "Of course not," he said. "Couldn't then, and couldn't now." He crouched, never taking his eyes off Zuko, reaching for where his swords had fallen.

But before he could decide what to do, Zuko was gone.


End file.
